From Left: Rep. Brandt Smith, Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Stephanie Nichols, and Family Council staff member Luke McCoy gather following passage of S.B. 289.
On Thursday afternoon the House Public Health Committee passed S.B. 289, the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act, by by Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) and Rep. Brandt Smith (R – Jonesboro).
The bill has only one final step — passing the entire Arkansas House of Representatives — before going to the senate for concurrence in amendments and then the governor’s desk.
S.B. 289 protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience in Arkansas.
Current conscience protections in state law are narrowly focused and protect only a limited number of people.
S.B. 289 helps broaden these protections for healthcare workers.
The bill passed the Arkansas Senate, but it previously failed to pass in the House Public Health Committee.
Thursday’s vote clears the way for S.B. 289 to head to the entire Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.
This good bill protects healthcare workers’ rights of conscience.
Arkansas’ current conscience protections are narrowly focused on abortion, abortifacients, and end of life decisions, and they protect only a limited number of people.
S.B. 289 helps broaden these protections for all healthcare professionals.
No one should have to worry about facing retaliation or discrimination for obeying their conscientious convictions.
Rights-of-conscience is a long-established tradition that predates the U.S. Constitution. This right should not be ignored.
S.B. 289 now goes to the Arkansas House, where it likely will be assigned to the House Public Health Committee.
Below is a breakdown of the Arkansas Senate’s vote on S.B. 289.
Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are actively opposing two good pieces of legislation in Arkansas:
S.B. 289 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R – Benton) protecting healthcare professionals’ rights of conscience and S.B. 6 by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) prohibiting abortion except when the mother’s life is at risk.
Here is a little of what Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are telling people:
We're back in the #arleg Senate, which is expected to take up #SB289 allowing broad medical discrimination. You can read more about the incredible dangers of the legislation here: https://t.co/BwDxgpJZzM#arpx
⚠️URGENT⚠️ #SB6 has its first hearing today in #arleg. It would completely ban abortion in Arkansas – with no exceptions.
This could be your last chance: tell your Senator to stand up for reproductive rights and against this extreme legislation. https://t.co/ViVR3p3Bfc#arpx
🚨 A dangerous healthcare refusal bill is being heard in committee TODAY. SB289 would mean: ❌refusals of health care ❌staffing challenges for hospitals ❌harm to patients throughout Arkansas
S.B. 289 helps protect healthcare professionals’ rights of conscience.
Current law gives healthcare workers narrow protections for their rights of conscience.
S.B. 289 broadens these conscience protections for healthcare workers and ensures that healthcare professionals have equal conscience protections.
Arkansas’ healthcare payers currently have no specific conscience protections, and Arkansas law does not address discrimination or retaliation against medical professionals or companies who have conscientious objections to certain procedures. Current law also does not provide specific legal remedies for victims of discrimination or retaliation.
S.B. 289 simply helps address these problems.
Here’s what S.B. 6 actually does:
S.B. 6 prohibits abortion except in cases of medical emergency when the woman’s life is at risk.
The bill is similar to Arkansas’ abortion statutes prior to Roe v. Wade.
S.B. 6’s exception allowing abortion when the woman’s life is at risk tracks with Amendment 68 to the Arkansas Constitution, which says it is the policy of the State of Arkansas to protect the lives of unborn children and contains exceptions for abortions performed to save the life of the woman.
Passing S.B. 6 would give the courts an opportunity to reverse decades of pro-abortion decisions.
If enforced, S.B. 6 would save the lives of thousands of unborn children in Arkansas every year.
These are two really good bills that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU appear to be trying to stop in Arkansas.
